Warning: Spoilers for The Walking Dead season 11, episode 13
Maggie’s reasons for not joining the Commonwealth in The Walking Dead ties in with what happened to Omaha in The Walking Dead: World Beyond. Omaha, Nebraska was the location of a large settlement of survivors in the Walking Dead universe. But despite its numbers, it was ultimately wiped out by the CRM in World Beyond.
Another group whose population is in the thousands, the Commonwealth, has recently emerged. Due to their resources and the state of their society, this giant community has successfully courted most of The Walking Dead’s main characters. Even Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Carol (Melissa McBride) have decided to make homes for themselves in the Commonwealth. Some, however, have yet to be swayed. One such example is Maggie (Lauren Cohan), who has made it clear that Hilltop won’t be accepting Lance and Pamela’s offer to become a part of the Commonwealth. In The Walking Dead season 11, episode 13, titled “Warlords”, Maggie explained her position to Lydia (Cassady McClincy) and Elijah (Okea Eme-Akwari).
Maggie’s doubts about the Commonwealth were laid out quite simply: “Those people have not been tested in 10 years. Do you wanna be there when they are?”. As she pointed out, Lance and Pamela’s community is so prosperous because nothing has really stood in its way. Maggie’s argument for not joining the Commonwealth is reminiscent of the fates shared by settlements like the Campus Colony and Omaha. In World Beyond, both communities were massacred by the CRM. In the end, it didn’t matter that Omaha boasted over 97,000 members.
Omaha falling to the CRM can be attributed to the community’s complacency. Apparently, they had become dependent on protection from the Civic Republic Military and didn’t really have the forces to retaliate if they were ever threatened. For years, its residents lived peaceful, conflict-free lives within Omaha’s walls because they didn’t have to face any real tests. They didn’t have to go through the same grueling battles that Alexandria had to go through with the Whisperers and the Saviors. So when they faced their first significant challenge – an attack from the CRM – their entire society was wiped out.
The destruction of Omaha in The Walking Dead: World Beyond serves as a reminder that despite how perfect the Commonwealth appears, it isn’t invincible. Like Omaha, it too can fall if a powerful enemy sets its sights on it. That doesn’t necessarily mean Maggie is right about refusing their offer, but it does shed light on why she’s so insistent on the Hilltop remaining separate from the Commonwealth in The Walking Dead season 11. She at least understands that everything they’ve built – no matter how impressive it may be – can easily be lost if something goes wrong.
The Walking Dead releases new episodes on Sundays on AMC.